1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a method and arrangement for treating bags to be filled with a product prior to filling the bags with a product.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
The present application relates to a treatment arrangement for treating bags or bag packages before the bags or bag packages are filled with a product or ingredient of a product. Such treatment arrangements are used in the food and beverage industries to promote prolonged shelf lives of the products housed in the bag packages or flexible pouches. Additionally, such treatment arrangements are used in the food and beverage industries to restrict or minimize contamination of bag material and/or bag packages after the bag material and/or bag packages have been treated by the treatment arrangements.
Treatment arrangements for treating bags or bag packages may be found in plants for producing bags or bag packages as well as fill and seal bags or bag packages.
The present application relates to a treating device for bag packages, which treating device comprises an entry port, a shaping unit, a filling unit, an exit port and one or more suitable conveying and/or transport elements.
In addition, the present application includes a method for using the treating device.
The present application relates to a sterilizing device for bag packages, said sterilizing device comprising an entry port, a shaping unit, a filling unit, an exit port and one or more suitable conveying and/or transport elements, wherein the entry port includes a UV radiation device or is formed in a substantial manner from said UV radiation device, and said UV radiation device emits pulsed radiation at high power. In addition the present application includes a method for using said sterilizing device.
Sterilizing devices and sterilizing methods are widely known in the foodstuffs industry and the beverage industry. The technology for solid, rigid containers, bottles or the like that have a monolithic body that has been produced by means of blowing or deep-drawing processes is very sophisticated. The surfaces are smooth and substantially without grooves, folds or the like that are difficult to access.
In the case of flexible bag packages, contrary to this, the production processes produce a less smooth surface that is provided with transitions and undercuts. Bent edges, glued surfaces and folded regions that give rise to narrow grooves, folds, edges and/or the like have to be put up with when shaping the bag.
For many liquids and products that are customarily filled into flexible bags, heat treating the filled bag is not desirable as losses in product quality are a consequence of the heat treatment. Consequently, there is great interest in aseptic cold filling. Along with known cleaning steps in water, steam or sterilizing liquids, sterilizing with H2O2 is very widespread in the area of industrial filling machines for beverages.
Even if this system works in principle, the degree of wetting of the surface to be sterilized in as short a time as possible is limited and an increase in throughput speed with an even lower bacterial count is not achievable with such a system or is achievable with unjustifiably high expenditure.
Sterilizing the foil material used to produce said bags before the processing procedures is also known, as is carrying out the production of the bags as such in a clean-room. Some methods for sterilization involve guiding the foil material in a first step via a wet cleaning station, where the foil is pre-cleaned. The foil pre-cleaned in such a manner is then moved past a UV light source in order to achieve the desired rate of germ killing.
In some methods for sterilization, the pre-cleaning in the first step in these cases also being performed by using a suitable liquid bath. Downstream of this first treatment step, the foil is guided upwards in a shaft so that the liquid can drain away, suitable wipers of the other drying devices being positioned upstream of the UV lamp. This wet, partly mechanical cleaning step is necessary and/or desired in order to remove germs in an appreciable manner in this first step, as the single UV radiation is not sufficient with the band material running at high speeds.
It can easily be understood that this wet, mechanical treatment of the foils is time-consuming and expensive and is responsible, where applicable, for the incomplete removal of liquid residue, incomplete drying and even product degradation.